Harry Kane: FC Bayern’s sublime number 9

Harry Kane has consistently scored goals throughout his career, and during the FIFA Club World Cup™, he once again showed the world-class qualities that place him among the best number 9s in the world. In this article, proven goalscorer and FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) expert, Jürgen Klinsmann, gives an intriguing insight into the decision-making qualities that Kane possesses, which set him apart from others.

“He makes incredibly fast decisions. It’s fantastic, his sense of awareness of the space he is in in relation to his opponents, regardless of how many of them there are. He doesn’t need to look at the goal because he always knows where it is and where he is in relation to it. Then, his technical capability to finish in any situation, left or right foot, header, from open play or set play, he can finish them all. It’s his all-round profile.

“From the moment the ball is coming into your vicinity, you are just ready for it to happen, and his brain is so full of attention that the second it comes to him, he knows what that exact moment or opportunity requires, and he can execute it. He is operating on such a high frequency mentally. It’s like in basketball, he’s at the level of a LeBron James, who plays at a higher frequency than others.”

Klinsmann was regarded as a world-class striker in his playing days, and he explains what it feels like to be operating in this zone.

“The energy your brain is operating at within these moments is really high, and after games, you can feel so empty. I don’t mean physically, but mentally drained because you run your brain on a higher frequency the whole time, and I love to watch that stuff and see players performing at that level.”

In their Round of 16 match against CR Flamengo, Kane was named Superior Player of the Match. He had just two attempts at goal in the game but scored both, highlighting how effective a striker can be at influencing the outcome of the game as FC Bayern München ran out 4-2 winners.

As Klinsmann explains, “Players like this can get you something at any moment in the game, that’s why it’s difficult to take them off because all they need is one moment to turn the match. But Kane’s finishes in these two situations are at an exceptional level.”

In clip 1 below, in his initial steps after Dayot Upamecano (2) won the ball, Kane recognised his position and that of the goalkeeper. His decision was made the moment the ball came to him, that he wanted to turn, take a couple of touches and shoot. He also knew that only his left foot would be his option.

“He didn’t even need to look up. In fact, he was looking down because he was losing his balance, but he made sure he stayed on his feet and had the confidence to hit it with his left foot with exactly the right precision and pace that it needed. Technically, this is pure. Recognising where you are, where everyone else is, and this technique of finishing on his weaker foot really is outstanding. Many other players would try to get it onto their right foot or take another step. This was the only way to finish this off, and he did it, but he knew that already once he turned after Upamecano won the ball back,” Klinsmann explained.

Then, in clip 2, Kane’s anticipation is the focal point of the analysis.

“He was anticipating this moment the entire time in the build-up situation, long before the ball even came to him. When the ball was on the wing at the start, he was already asking for it. He is always involved in the play, even when the ball is not at his feet. Mentally, he is so sharp and alert. His brain is constantly screening, and he knows he doesn’t need much to finish things off, regardless of how the ball comes to him. Whether it comes high, low, or if he must turn. It’s a visualisation process that you are in — you’re on a high confidence level. You almost have 360-degree vision as a centre-forward when you are in this zone and feel like you are invincible when you are wired into that moment so intensely.”

World-class strikers need to score for their team, but they must also recognise when others are in better positions to score. Kane not only recognises these moments, but he also does the work to put his team-mates into those positions.

He is instrumental in linking the play to access and exploit space in the final third, and frequently drops into deeper areas to receive the ball, drawing defenders out of position. He does this work willingly to create opportunities for others. His vision, awareness and technical ability on the ball allow him to play accurately into dangerous areas using a range of different types of passes.

His movement off the ball, whether it is to receive or make a selfless, intelligent run to create space for a team-mate, is key to unlocking space that FC Bayern access in attack, as Klinsmann explains.

“In clip 3, he knows instinctively that his first touch needs to go around the defender. He knows before he receives the ball that he is going to turn and create the space to take his defender out of the game and release Kingsley Coman (11) into the space behind. You can see the communication between them before Kane receives, and the only way he can play that pass is by receiving on the turn. It’s fast decision-making and excellent technical execution.”

“In clip 4, he signals early that there is space for him to make the channel run, stepping across to ensure Bayern create a 2v1 advantage on Flamengo’s left centre-back. As Joshua Kimmich (6) advances, Pereira (4) gets out to him, meaning Kane has unopposed access to the space in behind the defence. Kimmich continues his run forward, while Coman (11) holds his position just inside the penalty area. Kane sees him and plays an accurate pass to feet, splitting the recovering defenders. This is a great example of the work he does to create opportunities for his team-mates. He is always contributing.”

When Bayern München do not have the ball, Kane also works tirelessly for his team, pressing opposition players, trying to force turnovers high up the pitch, and helping his team to create opportunities from regains. For Klinsmann, his work ethic both in and out of possession is a signature quality of the leadership that Kane consistently shows when he takes to the field.

“His work rate is huge for the team. He is always switched on. We’ve seen how he creates and impacts the team when they have the ball, but he also sets the tone for them when they don’t have it. Clip 5 below is a great example. Straight from kick-off, he is showing his team-mates leadership. This is a captain’s move, to show I’m going to go in quickly and they are probably going to knock me down but, in this moment, he is showing his team-mates he is there for them. When you see your striker doing this in front of you, it encourages everyone to give the same level of commitment,” he added.